Hilton Garden Inn Samarkand has much to live up to as the first internationally branded hotel in Uzbekistan's second city.
Having opened in September, the modern property sits in stark contrast to the historic sites for which Samarkand is famous — and provides a welcome sanctuary after a full day of touring this part of the Silk Road region.
The welcome
After a brief but amicable locational misunderstanding with a taxi driver en route from Samarkand railway station, we arrive late in the evening to a cheerful and well-staffed reception desk. The hotel exterior is blanketed in light bulbs — a bright landmark on an otherwise quiet street.
Rotating entrance doors open on to a broad, spacious lobby with light wood floors, a central cafe/bar serving soft drinks and hot beverages — this is a dry hotel — and a restaurant.
Check-in is swift and efficient, and we are directed to the nearby lifts for the short journey to our fourth-floor room.
The neighbourhood
With tourism to Uzbekistan reportedly on the rise again — including from the UAE thanks to direct flydubai services to Samarkand, as well as Tashkent and Namangan — Hilton Garden Inn Samarkand is well positioned to meet the expectations of international visitors.
The hotel is a 10-minute drive from the railway station, and roughly the same from the smart new Samarkand International Airport.
Importantly for tourists, it is a healthy strolling distance from the city’s most significant points of interest, namely the epic Registan Square, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and the ornate mosques of Bibi-Khanym and Hazrat-Khizr.
Bustling Siab Bazaar is about 3km away and Ulugh Beg Observatory is 2km beyond that.
There are supermarkets, restaurants and takeaway outlets nearby, although the hotel proved the most reliable venue for a tasty, reasonably priced dinner in the neighbourhood.
The room
Located within the boundaries of the city centre, Hilton Garden Inn Samarkand offers 162 rooms across six floors.
Our twin option had a reassuring “new room” smell, with two generously proportioned beds sharing a blue padded headboard that extends across the width of one wall. A window seat offers a view on to the main road and city beyond.
Wooden flooring at the entrance gives way to a blue-carpeted lounge with a wire-fronted semi-open wardrobe to one side, adding a greater sense of space, as well as a table with a leather chair, and a widescreen TV.
Ivory-coloured walls are punctuated by a handful of framed pictures and further wood detailing.
A bright, clean bathroom with a single sink and toilet includes a deceptively large walk-in shower with both rain and vertical options for an effective wake-up wash.
Additional amenities include a safe, mini fridge, coffee and tea facilities, Wi-Fi, hairdryer and ironing board with iron.
The service
For a relatively new hotel, the Hilton Garden is already operating smoothly and efficiently.
The lobby is well-staffed with a proud young team happy to help with questions about their home city.
A special mention goes to trainee member Elyor, who helped us book replacement train tickets after a date error by the station ticket office potentially scuppered onward travel plans.
The scene
Everything feels very fresh, and not simply because the property is less than a year old. Bright, eclectic furnishings in the lobby offer plenty of places to gather and relax.
A souvenir shop at the far end of the space offers a wide selection of local products for those last-minute gift purchases. Close to the reception desk is The Shop, for snacks and other essential items, an ATM and a currency exchange machine, with the latter proving vital given a lack of physical exchange options in the area.
Self-service laundry facilities are also available.
This airy contemporary feel extends to the hotel’s only restaurant, which opens into the lobby.
At basement level, the Hilton Garden has a surprisingly large indoor swimming pool, with loungers to rest on. It is flanked on one side by sauna and steam rooms.
Hotel guests are also able to make use of a modern hammam and gym, while the spa offers a range of massages priced from $20 to $70, and treatments that include Turkish peeling with a foam massage ($55) and a Spa Ritual ($60), with a peeling procedure and body wrap.
The food
The sole restaurant, Giotto, comprises a main dining area and a discreet secondary section that can be shuttered off for larger groups. While the outlet sports an Italian name and theme, the open kitchen serves up an extensive menu covering a broad spectrum of cuisines and price points.
These include a choice of pasta and wok dishes, burgers and seafood, including octopus, salmon, sea bass and dorado, plus steaks and marbled beef, with a tomahawk costing Dh38 per 100g.
While alcohol isn’t available, you can order soft drinks and a selection of refreshing mocktails. A children’s menu is available, although it’s not only the young ones who are distracted by Giotto's colourful ice cream bar.
Breakfast is buffet style, supported by a live cooking station for eggs and omelettes. The room service menu is sensibly priced and service is quick from the 24-hour kitchen. A late evening order produced a delicious club sandwich for about Dh18.
Highs and lows
Convenience and comfort are two of the hotel’s biggest selling points, but a dip in the pool via a session in the sauna is a great way to relax after clocking up those steps en route to and from Samarkand’s headlining historic gems.
Staff friendliness and enthusiasm is immediately noticeable and a credit to the brand and management. The only minor niggle would be our room’s overcomplicated lighting controls, something of an issue with many new hotels.
The insider tip
Request a front-facing room to catch a glimpse of the distinctive teal-coloured domes of magnificent Registan Square. On a clear day, you can also see the outline of the Nuratau mountain range beyond.
The verdict
While Samarkand has an abundance of family-owned guesthouses, boutique options and local brands, Hilton Garden Inn’s entry provides service quality assurance for travellers seeking a familiar brand and reliable service levels.
This is a modern hotel raising the hospitality bar in a fascinating, easy-to-reach destination.
The bottom line
Room-only prices at Hilton Garden Inn Samarkand start from about Dh500 ($137), including breakfast and taxes. Check-in from 2pm; checkout at noon.
More information can be found here: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/skddbgi-hilton-garden-inn-samarkand/
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel and reflects hotel standards during this time. Services may change in the future.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
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Company%20profile
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800
Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed CVT
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
Stage Two:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 04:20:45
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates
4. Olav Kooij (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
General Classification:
1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix 09:03:03
2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04
3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:10
5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
Race card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m
9.25pm: Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
10.35pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm: Shahm, 7.05pm: Well Of Wisdom, 7.40pm: Lucius Tiberius, 8.15pm: Captain Von Trapp, 8.50pm: Secret Advisor, 9.25pm: George Villiers, 10pm: American Graffiti, 10.35pm: On The Warpath
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
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Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Scoreline:
Cardiff City 0
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)
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